Rodeo Austin: Hundreds showcase pigs in Junior Market Barrow

Rodeo Austin Junior Market Barrow Show

The Rodeo Austin livestock show is in full swing. Each year, thousands of contestants travel to Austin to participate in the livestock show and enhance their agricultural education.

AUSTIN, Texas - Nearly 800 candidates showcased their pigs at the Junior Market Barrow at Rodeo Austin on Sunday.

Hundreds of pigs are brought to Rodeo Austin in pristine condition to face nationally-recognized judges.

"They are looking for the phenotypical differences for muscle structural correctness, balance or overall look," said Levelland ISD Agriculture Science teacher Cody Spies.

The pigs are judged from their behavior down to their skin and hair.

"The hogs, they get bathed once a week to twice a week. They are brushed every single day," Spies said.

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Contestants range from the ages of 9 to 18 years old. Out of the hundreds taking part in the event, close to 100 will be selected to move forward.

"The young lady that is judging today will take a look at the animals and decide how good they are," said Rodeo AUstin chief operating officer Jeff Thayne. "The goal of the young people is to make the youth auction."

According to Thayne, last year, Rodeo Austin raised more than $2.7 million in proceeds and were able to provide scholarships to participants.

"There is no greater thing to take something that is going to go to productive livestock or productive agriculture and move from start to finish when these things come out, and see a lot of the process that go from start to finish," Spies said. "They learn where their meat comes, they learn all the food and everything they eat in a day."

"In most cases that means getting up at 5 or 6 in the morning, going to the barn, feeding the animal, brushing, washing, all of the things that they need to do to make an animal look good," Thayne said.

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The Junior Market Barrow Show is a two-day event that lasts nearly nine hours per day.

"If they qualify for the youth auction that will be held this next Saturday, we try to raise as much money as possible for those young people to push forward in their educational careers to keep involved in the project," said Thayne.

The winners will be selected on Monday for a chance to win a cash reward of up to $50,000.